The history of development the scientific research fleet for the oldest fisheries institution in Russia — Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO) is given. Three main stages in the development of the scientific research fleet are outlined. The appearance of the most significant research vessels is identified as a kind of milestones on the way of the Institute for 140 years. The role of both pre-revolutionary predecessors and VNIRO itself and its branches as well is described in the development of vessels and conducting the research expeditions. The connection is outlined between the research vessels and the people who had been at the origin of their development — N.M. Knipovich in particular. The process of changing the generations of the scientific research vessels is considered for 7 of them with the name of Knipovich on board as a case. A brief technical description, historical data and the most important results of expeditions are given for each vessel mentioned. In the conclusion, the prospects for the modern development of the fisheries research fleet are set out. Data from archives and special literature as well as memoirs of participants in the events are used.

In the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, in recent years, there has been an increase in the populations of eastern mackerel (Scomber japonicus) and Far Eastern sardine (Sardinops sagax). In the Far East, large-tonnage fishing trawlers capable of successfully harvesting (catching) mackerel and Far Eastern sardines are engaged in fishing for pollock and other traditional objects of fishing. The purpose of this article is to show how underutilized stocks of mackerel and Far Eastern sardine can be developed by medium tonnage vessels using twin fishing techniques. For the biotechnological substantiation of the parameters of the twin trawl system according to the degree of influence on the object of production (catch), it was divided into 7 zones, in each of which the object of production (catch) has one or another behavioral reaction. The article substantiates the necessary (optimal) vertical opening of the mouth of the trawl for complete vertical fishing of schools of fish based on echometric diagrams of the vertical distribution of schools of mackerel and Far Eastern sardine and the accepted response distances of fishing objects to elements of the trawl system. The biotechnical substantiation of the parameters of the twin trawl system for the extraction (catch) of Pacific mackerel and Far Eastern sardine has been carried out. The length of the twin trawl, the angle of attack of the upper, lateral and lower layers of the trawl shell, the length of the wings of the trawl are determined, the necessary ratio of the shaded area of the shell of the trawl to its fictitious area for mediumtonnage vessels with different traction characteristics is determined. Based on the speed parameters of fish in different zones of the trawl system, the distance between twin vessels, the length of the cords and the length of the cables are determined.

Materials are presented on the comparative effectiveness of fishing gear used to catch the Pacific sardine and mackerel in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. It has been shown that the efficiency of catch of Pacific sardine by the pair trawl is 3.5–4.8 times higher than fishing by pelagic trawls. When catch mackerel, the picture is the opposite: pair trawl fishing efficiency is 3.0–8.9 times lower than fishing indices with pelagic trawls. This state of affairs indicates the need to improve the technique and tactics of catch of moving fish with pair trawls, which involves substantiating the operating parameters of the pair trawl system in accordance with the energy capabilities of fishing vessels of various tonnage and developing proposals for improving the equipping of the pair trawl system for fishing vessels of small and middle classes. The parameters of pair trawls are theoretically substantiated and a technical proposal has been developed for equipping a pelagic trawl with a net insert, which reduces the likelihood of fish leaving the catch zone under the footrope of pelagic trawl.

As a result of systematic monitoring of the parameters of the of Danish type danish seine equipped with sensors of ScanMar catch control system for the first time, the actual (working) vertical and horizontal openings of Danish type danish seine are instrumentally determined, as well as the working form of the danish seine in the process of running down and hauling wires. It has been shown that the horizontal opening of the Danish-type danish seine at the moment of the end of the running down wires is on average 21.2 m, the vertical one — 5.3 m, which suggests that in the process of further towing of the snurrevod its working form makes it possible to successfully catch aquatic organisms. The state of modern danish seine fishing, the qualitative and quantitative changes of the fleet structure on a danish seine fishing are analyzed. A sharp increase in the use of Danish-type danish seine structures with shortened wings and large vertical opening was recorded on the Kamchatka shelf. 2005 to 2018 the number of vessels involved in the danish seine fishing decreased by 53%, of which the small small fleet decreased by 120 units, the small class fleet — by 33 units, while the number of middle class vessels, on the contrary, increased by 8 units.

Fishing for krill Euphasia superba has been conducting using midwater trawls of different constructions including beam-trawl for several last decades. Not all krill in harvesting zone of midwater trawl got to catch during trawling. Depending on stock structure, size and physiological state of krill individuals some part of them could pass through cover of net bag and escape of catch. In contact with threads of the net bag some of them may receive possibly lethal mechanical damage. Proposed method is applicable for rating of krill traumatic damage, received by it during trawling from cover of net bag, only for fishing with hauling of full net for catch extraction. The analogous rating for fishing with fishpump needs developing of special methods of source material obtaining to set experiments. But, taking into account the fact that trawl constructions used for these variants of fishing process are analogous or insignificantly different from the first, obtained results could be interpolated for them too. Picking of krill individuals, passed through meshes of net bag cover of fishing gear was carried out with specially made net bags-catchers (traps), set onto the cover of net bag of a studies trawl. While hauling, caught in these special bags krill is took out and then put into a special baths with sea water for conducting of aquarium studies to determine its survival.

Significant concentrations of Chub mackerel (Scomber japonicas) were found in 2014 in the area of the Southern Kuril Islands (Northwestern Pacific Ocean (NWPO)). Commercial fishing for Chub mackerel was resumed in the NWPO in 2016. In this connection, exploratory work and acoustic-trawl surveys are carried out to identify distribution and abundance of Chub mackerel in the NWPO. Acoustic abundance estimates of the stock size of Chub mackerel is important for fishing. However, the reflectivity of Chub mackerel is not well understood. Collections of in situ target strength (TS) signals and corresponding fish size measurements for Chub mackerel were obtained as a result of research in the NWPO (2015–2017). The calibrated scientific echo-sounder “EK‑60 Simrad” with two split-beam echo sounders of respectively 38 and 120 kHz was used to collect sonar data. Measurement of the TS of Chub mackerel was conducted at the trawl layer, which corresponds to the trawl opening per the trawling area. The echogram selection process and the filtering process of single targets of Chub mackerel are realize in the “SALTSE” software package (“TINRO”). The dependence of mean target strength (TS, dB) on mean fish length (L, cm) for was estimated as 20 log (L) — 72,8 dB at 38 kHz and as 20 log (L) — 73,6 dB at 120 kHz. The obtained values backscattering strength (Sv) of Chub mackerel in the NWPO are compared with the values Sv of other studies of the reflective properties of Scombridae.

Studies of the distribution density and assessment of the biomass of Caspian sprats in the deep-water part of the Middle Caspian Sea were carried out at the NIS “ Issledovatel Caspia “by the EK‑60 hydroacoustic complex of the company” Simrad “(Norway) with permanently installed split-beam antennas at 38 and 120 kHz. The assessment of the biomass of Caspian sprats was carried out in the course of hydroacoustic survey on a pre-planned grid of tacks over depths from 20 to 800 m. Surveys on the registration of Caspian sprats, conducted in the summer period (June-July) from 2015 to 2018, showed that the largest mass of Caspian sprats, making feeding migrations, is concentrated in the middle part of the Caspian Sea, above depths from 100 to 700 meters. Based on the results of the 2015–2018 summer hydroacoustic surveys, maps of the distribution of sprats in the middle part of the Caspian Sea were constructed. The maximum concentrations of adult sprats in the upper layer of 0–10 m were observed only in the western part of the Middle Caspian Sea. In the 10–20 m layer, dense clusters were found both in the western, eastern, and central parts of the water area. Based on the results of the research, recommendations were developed for the fishing fleet on the resumption of sprats fishing by trawl in the middle part of the Caspian Sea.

The results of analysis are given for the experimental studies of the metrological characteristics of the reference conductivity cells carried out during the calibration of the conductivity sensors of CTD probes from 2008 to 2017 using “Installation for measuring conductivity sea water VNIRO” The factors determining the uncertainty of calibration of the conductivity reference cell are considered. The calculations were carried out for the combined standard uncertainty (CSU) of the cell calibration and standard uncertainties of its components. The expanded CSU of their calibration at any point in the range (53÷27) mS/cm was concluded not to exceed (2.2÷1.0)·10^–3 mS/cm, which corresponds to the relative expanded CSU calibration equal to 4·10^–5. The analysis of the contribution of individual components to the total uncertainty is given. It was shown that CSU of the cell calibration is mainly estimated by the CSU of determining the reference value of the CSU SSW, due to the uncertainty in determining of the sample temperature inside the cell because of instability and inhomogeneity of the temperature field around it u_ΣС(Т) . The value of u_ΣС(Т)  varies from 9.7·10^–4 mS/cm to 3.6·10–4 mS/cm at the level of instability of sea water in the thermal tank ranging from (1.1 ± 0.17)·10^–3 °C at a temperature of 25 °C to (0.53±0.19)·10^–3 °C at a temperature of 1 °C. The drift of the static cell conversion function for 413 days did not exceed ±0.003 mS/cm.

The factors determining combined standard uncertainty (CSU) in the calibration of precision CTD probes conductivity sensors are considered. Calculation of standard uncertainties (SU) of individual components is done and analysis of their contribution into CSU calibrations of conductivity sensors of five basic models CTD-probes «Sea Bird» is done. It is shown that expanded CSU calibration of conductivity sensors of CTD-probes reviewed models at any points in the range from 53 mS/cm till 27 mS/ cm will not exceed (2.2÷1.0)·10^–3 mS/сm; relative extended CSU calibration of these sensors will not exceed 4.2·10^–5 and will be determined by CSU value of reference conductivity cell calibration. Expanded CSU of salinity US determination according to СТp measurements dat at coverage factor К=2 will be equal to 0.0031÷0.0034 upon contribution of CTD-probe CSU calibration at the level 0,0007÷0,0010 for 31≤S≤39; –2≤T≤25 °С; 27≤С≤53 mS/cm and 0≤р≤10000 dbar. According to experimental data the characteristics of sensitivity coefficient ∂f/∂С dependencies of standard deviations of input frequency s( f_i) and sensor readings s(Cз_i) from sea water electrical conductivity are calculated. Analysis of calibration characteristics of conductivity sensors temporal drift between calibrations is conducted.

The results of laboratory experiments to study the metrological characteristics of the YSI CastAway-CTD profilograph are discussed. The factors determining the combined standard uncertainty (CSU) of the calibration of temperature and conductivity sensors are considered. Systematic deviations in CastAway-CTD sensor readings are determined and the temporal drift limits of their calibration characteristics are estimated. To eliminate the systematic effect in the temperature and conductivity data, correcting equations of the third order were used. Estimates of the expanded CSU after correcting the CTD data (the ranges: –1.6 ≤T≤ 30 °C and 27 ≤С≤ 57 mS/cm) did not exceed the values stated by the manufacturer. It is shown that the CastAway-CTD data is affected by the thermal inertia of its body (TIB), therefore TIB is an important metrological characteristic of the profilograph, which can distort the stratification of the studied water masses.

A prototype of a new laser plankton recorder was developed and tested.The device description is presented. The possibility of registering nauplii, cysts and mature individuals of artemia, fry of various species of fish and some species of plankton were investigated in fish tank and aquariums. The results of field tests of the model of the device in July 2019, carried out jointly with the specialists of the Tyumen branch of “VNIRO” on the Solyonoe Lake of the Tyumen Region, are presented. The impact of daylight on the layout was evaluated. Solutions have been proposed to minimize it. The preliminary results of the refinement of the device were shown and promising options for its use as an additional sensor in the probing and towed CTD complexes at the RV were proposed. The device is being developed to estimate the size and quantitative composition of mesoplankton, which is the food base of fish stocks as well as for the field research related to the industrial breeding of artemia.

At present, the measurement of the vertical structure of the distribution of particulate matter is performed using labor-intensive methods using sampling with plankton nets or bathometers, followed by visual microscopic examination of samples in a laboratory. For real-time monitoring of water areas (ecological and fishery tasks), video recording of plankton and other particulate matter with real-time image transmission to the operator is relevant. Colored in situ images obtained from a ship using a probe on a carrying cable make it possible to quickly estimate the concentration of particles at the horizons, and visually select zoo and phytoplankton. An analysis of the currently existing equipment for recording plankton images is given, its shortcomings are indicated, and our own experience in the development and test results of the original video recording equipment created in this case is described. The design of a high-resolution submersible camera (2048x1436 pixels) with an original lighting system with rod lamps based on powerful white LEDs, an instantly recorded volume of 150 cubic centimeters, is described. Examples of registration of images of cultured freshwater daphnia in laboratory conditions are shown. The results of work with the camera in October 2019 at the Hydrobiological Station of A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution (Lake Glubokoe, Ruzsky District of the Moscow Region) with obtaining color images of suspended matter to a depth of 30 m with simultaneous measurement of the temperature and concentration of oxygen dissolved in water are presented. By subsequent visual processing of the images obtained at different depths, an estimated profile of the distribution of zooplankton in depth was obtained. The result of research, laboratory and field tests was the creation of an operational monitoring video recording system that allows visual studies of plankton in situ; ways to improve the characteristics of the system are shown.

Based on the experience of the development and maintenance of oceanographic measuring equipment the proposal to create a complex of automatic coastal station having high autonomy and reliability with long-term use in marine and freshwater areas for expeditious of environmental monitoring of coastal zones and on aquaculture farms is formulated. The bioelectronic complex on basis of native clams and the distributed temperature sensing device measuring vertical profile of temperature and dynamics of its variability is the proposed equipment of the station. The feature of such configuration of the system is high reliability on functioning of submersible clusters and metrological stability of measuring channels during long-term operation in natural conditions without maintenance for a period of more than a year that allows to avoid of constant maintenance costs. Thus, a long-term operating automatic control of significant hydrological parameters of the environment and the generalized indication of ecological conditions of water area can be provided on the basis of the analysis of reactions of clams as biosensors.

The general and specific provisions of the 2 Development Strategies of the Russian Agricultural Complex up to 2020 and up to 2030 are considered. The author analyzes the stages, targets, main tasks and the main distinctive content bases of the principles of the industry development in the context of the Strategy 2020 and the Strategy 2030. The features of financial support, the formed structuring of strategic development documents are emphasized. A summary of some of the results of the activities of the RCC in the process of implementing the Strategy 2020 is carried out, which analyze the dynamics of the volume of VBR catch, the production of food fish products, investments, and the renewal of fixed assets in accordance with the innovative task of the strategic innovative and actual development of the RCC. The corresponding linear macro-econometric models are constructed to evaluate and compare the dynamic parameters of strategic and actual development. The article highlights the features of the development of the RCC in the context of the Strategy 2030, analyzes the dynamics of the planned strategic and actual catch of the UBR, the dynamics of the accumulated investments of the planned strategic and actual development of the RCC for 2008–2030. The regression parameters of the catch of UBR and the added value of RCC for 2007–2030 are calculated. Conclusions are drawn about the need to use a regression econometric apparatus to establish reasonable parameters of the strategic development of the RCC.

North-East Asia is a dynamically developing fishery region and it has taken on the role of a global manufacturer and consumer of fish products. Fish markets in China, Japan and the Republic of Korea are highly competitive and subject to dynamic fluctuations on the world market. During the last thirty years the leading manufacturers of fish production and the ratio between the production manufactured by a process of artificial breeding and its capture in the natural habitat have changed almost fundamentally in the region. There arises a number of questions. In what way will fishing industry continue to develop? What are the trends of the markets development? What factors will drive them? Therefore, the aim of this work is to analyze the established development trends of the fishing industry in the countries of North-East Asia, to give an outlook on the production and to determine the factors that affect the increase in the production of aquatic biological resources. The paper provides the comparative analysis of North-East Asia fish markets (China, Japan, the Republic of Korea), the analysis of the catch and production volumes of water biological resources of China, the Republic of Korea, Japan for 2008–2018, the analysis of the alterations in the production structure of water biological resources in main segments in Northeast Asia countries; as well as the analysis of the export dynamics has been made, the outlook for water biological resources production has been given and the main factors that have an influence upon the increase both in the production and consumption of fish products in the countries of North-East Asia have been determined.

The design features of fishery research vessels of a new generation with non-standard solutions in propulsion systems as well are considered as an example for foreign ships built in 2019–2020 for fisheries organizations of Kuwait, China, Argentina, Canada and the Faroe Islands. The information is analyzed for 7 special vessels with maximum length from 36 to 84 m on the base of 5 projects. The main characteristics are given in the table. Special attention is paid to the design features of ship propulsion systems with a hybrid scheme for combining diesel-gear and diesel-electric systems. Such scheme allows one to use a low-consumption diesel propulsion at crossings and low-noise electric one during acoustic surveys in accordance with ICES Recommendations 209. Different research equipment for a number of vessels including hydroacoustic one, which is of particular interest, is considered. The features of modern trends in the development of fishery scientific research vessels are analyzed.